HUMBOLDT — Aging water storage and water lines are forcing Humboldt city council members to set in motion a $10 million upgrade.
A 2018 engineering report pegged the cost at $9.9 million. Three years later, it’s $10.88 million.
“We have places where it leaks on an annual basis,” said City Administrator Cole Herder at Monday night’s council meeting. “I know of one 10-foot stretch where there’s six clamps,” where repairs have been made.
“Last winter I noticed a repair that was still leaking. But when I asked if crews could tighten the clamp, they said if they went any tighter, the pipe would cave.”
“The number of leaks is only going to grow exponentially as the years attack the distribution system,” Herder said. “We have no option but to fix it.”
A detailed map provided by BG Consultants showed council members more than 80 water main breaks and even more service line breaks scattered across the city.
Replacement would likely be done in three phases over nine years.
Herder figured securing financing would take the better part of a year followed by another for design.
“It could be 2023 before the actual work of Phase 1 begins,” he said.
Herder is hoping a combination of loans and grants will fund the project, including a Community Development Block Grant and a U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development loan.
Herder also mentioned the timeliness of a proposed federal bill to address infrastructure — and specifically the replacement of lead pipes.
“That would be nice, but I think we’ll have to solve this without counting on the federal government,” he said.
Engineers recommend repairing two of the city’s water towers and removing the 1905 tower on the downtown square. It holds 75,000 gallons. Recent repairs to the old tower on the square cost $25,250.
“What we thought were pinholes, turned out to be fractures,” Herder said.
The largest tower at 7th and Cherokee, about a block north of city hall, holds 300,000 gallons.
Because tests revealed its exterior coating includes lead, “it will need to be stripped, and during the process will need to be veiled,” to keep contamination contained, Herder said.
